Haystack Mountain, Wilmington VT

• 4-star hike
• 4 mile out-and-back
• Moderate | Gain 1,030 feet
• Wilmington, VT | Southern Region
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A hiker stands on a rocky mountain summit, facing away from the camera and looking out over a wide, scenic panorama of rolling green mountains stretching toward the horizon under a cloudy sky. The hiker wears a light blue tank top, grey pants, a dark baseball cap, a waist pack, and athletic shoes. Dense evergreen trees frame the left and right sides of the foreground, while layers of hazy blue ridges fade into the distance beneath overcast white and blue clouds.

Rewarded with summit views across Southern Vermont.

Wilmington, Vermont sits at the southern edge of the Green Mountain National Forest, with Haystack Mountain rising just beyond the edge of town. It's close enough to reach from a quiet residential street, yet far enough to offer a genuine ascent into the woods.

Parking near the trailhead is tight, with just a handful of roadside spots tucked into the quiet Chimney Hill neighborhood. Space fills fast, so play nice with the locals, keeping driveways clear and observing posted road signs.

Trail Options Expand KMZ · Google Earth ·

⬤ 4★ Haystack Mountain Trail 4.2 mi out & back, moderate, gain 1,030 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX?

P Free parking

The trail begins on a wide gravel service road just past a vehicle gate. This section climbs gradually through a hardwood forest, with Binney Brook running alongside part of the way. After just over half a mile, turn left at the no-trespassing signs and leave the gravel road for a narrower foot trail. The no-trespassing signs mark the boundary of Wilmington’s municipal watershed and do not apply to hikers on the marked path.

From here, the trail continues across dirt, roots, and granite with some occasional mud possible. The trail steadily gains elevation through a series of switchbacks as it climbs the ridge toward the upper mountain. Near the top, pay close attention to the trail junction. Turn right onto the short spur trail to reach Haystack Mountain's summit. Blaze through the junction and miss the turning, and your next stop will be Mount Snow some 3.7 miles away to the north.

A hiker seen from behind ascends a rocky, root-covered trail through a dense, green forest. The hiker wears a bright blue tank top, grey pants, and a waist pack while navigating a moderate uphill slope filled with exposed tree roots and scattered stones. Vibrant green leafy trees filter daylight from above, with a prominent blue trail blaze visible on the trunk of a large tree to the right of the path.

Some rocks, roots and mild gradient on this forgiving trail.

The summit rewards you with a small, rocky, wide-open perch facing east, and the payoff is immediate. Below spreads the Deerfield Valley, with Wilmington and Dover laid out beneath you, and on a clear day Mount Monadnock stands out sharply on the New Hampshire horizon. Look down and you'll spot Haystack Pond tucked just below the summit, while Mount Snow rises up to the north.

Don't turn around at the main summit, though. A short rock scramble just beyond the peak leads to a secondary viewpoint facing south over Harriman Reservoir and into Massachusetts. This spot offers a completely different perspective, pairing shimmering water below with long, sweeping views to the south.

A wide, panoramic mountain vista overlooks endless stretches of dense evergreen forest stretching across rolling ridges into hazy blue mountain ranges in the distance. Vibrant green pine tops frame the foreground, revealing a small body of water nestled among the trees below, beneath a vast cloud-filled sky where a distant bird flies overhead.

Wide panoramic views looking east from the summit.

Harriman Reservoir from a second summit vantage.

A low-angle, close-up view features a textured, light-brown mushroom growing atop a mossy, dark rock beside a fallen leaf and tiny evergreen sprouts. In the softly blurred background, a trail winds through a dense forest of slender trees, with a blue trail blaze faintly visible on a trunk amidst dappled sunlight and lush green ferns.

Forest fungi flourish in this fern-filled forest.

A family of five walks away from the camera along a wide, gravel forest path beneath a canopy of lush green deciduous trees. An adult wearing a dark backpack walks alongside two young children, holding one child's hand, while another adult carries a toddler in a child carrier backpack. Vibrant summer foliage borders both sides of the gentle, shaded trail ahead.

Short and easy enough for a family adventure.

Trailspotting nearby:
4★ Mt Olga Fire Tower (1-2 mi)
4★ Shelburne Fire Tower (3 mi)
4★ Mt Greylock (3-7 mi)
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